Sri Lanka is a highly vulnerable country to the current and projected impacts of climate change. It was one of the first countries to ratify the historic Paris Agreement and is currently setting up the mechanisms to implement its national targets. So far, Sri Lanka has communicated their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage and ‘Means of Implementation’ (technology transfer, capacity building and climate finance). Understanding the roles that subnational governments can play is crucial for Sri Lanka’s transformation towards a climate resilient, low emission development pathway.

map the key stakeholders at subnational levels in Sri Lanka in the context of climate change mitigation and low carbon development;

improve clarity on institutional jurisdictions, functions, and mandates across levels of government and civil society to deliver emission reductions and improve the climate resilience of infrastructure services;

highlight the potential role of subnational governance in Sri Lanka to develop and achieve national level climate change targets; and

illuminate the potential influence and role of subnational stakeholders on climate change.

This report is authored by Ranga Pallawala. He is the CEO of Janathakshan GTE Limited and a member of National Expert Committee on Climate Change Adaptation (NECCCA) of Sri Lanka.